Saturday, January 1, 2011

Images of Bintulu Today

At Zone E of the Kambatik Botanic garden I found this spectacular blackish white-rimmed fungus thriving on a rotten tree stump.

In close-up, the long protruding stamens of the Golden Penda ( Xanthosemon chrysanthus) resembles fireworks in the night sky. The Golden Penda belongs to the genus Eugenia and they have the characteristic powder puff-like flowers. The "Jambu" ( Eugenia jambos) and Eugenia oleina flowers also have similar masses of flowers. The picture was taken along a side road at Kampung Assyakirrin. More such trees should be grown in Bintulu. The genus Eugenia belongs to the family Myrtaceae (Myrtle family).

A common resident at my eco-farm is the Bulbul bird. It loves to eat the ripe juicy red seeds of the 'Simpoh Air' ( Dillenia suffructicosa) that are found growing along the stream at the farm and often builds nest at the Eugenia oleina trees that are grown as roadside trees here. I have seen them eating the berries of the Eugenia oleina trees and this fact makes me feel that planting the Eugenia trees have brought in much needed wildlife.